Essay, Research Paper: Comparing & Contrasting Hamlet, Laertes & Fortinbras In Shakespeare's Hamlet

In Shakespeare's Hamlet, Laertes, Fortinbras, And Hamlet all played roles as avengers. Each of these characters reflected their personalities through these roles. Fortinbras shows himself to be a shallow tyrant. When we first hear of him, he plans to attack Denmark for the reason of his uncle's death by the hand of the late King Hamlet. This is all fine and good. But as a result of Claudius' attempt for peace, Fortinbras decides to attack a totally different country, that of Poland. Since his army is already assembled and a war is lacking, Norway starts one over "a piece of ground that hath in it no profit but the name" and which is "not tomb enough and continent to hide the slain". Fortinbras' problem seems to be the opposite of Hamlets'. The King of Norwy acts without deciphering the rights and wrongs of the matter, and for all we know without giving much thought to it at all. Whereas Hamlet "tragic flaw" is the amount of thinking and weighing out he puts into an act, and never carrying out the plan, but only vaguely deciding to do something. His major role as an avenger, which constitutes the majority of the play, is the act of murdering Claudius. It could be said that a more minor act of vengeance of Hamlet's, is the death of Rosencrantz, and Guilderstern. Though they consider themselves friends, Hamlet obviously does not. This could be observed through their lack of ability to play upon the flute, or in other words Hamlet's ability to see through through their poor disguising of petty attempts for information, and errands for the King. On the other hand, Laertes and Hamlet, when not trying to kill one another seem to get along amazingly well. Some experts believe that these two characters only difference is their upbringing. Laertes, if compared to Hamlet and Fortinbras in the role of an avenger, could be said to be the constant of the three. His act and mode of vengeance are in their entirety the exact opposites of Hamlet's and Fortinbras'. There is no inaction about Laertes at all. He takes immediate action by daring damnation, and damning allegiance, vows, conscience, and grace for revenge upon his father's murderer. We are given an insight into Laertes personality by noting that this was done before he positively knew if hew as in fact speaking to his father's murderer. This shows a determination never to be seen in Hamlet. Fortinbras never accomplished his act of vengeance, Hamlet and Laertes both got their man, the former only after time. All three characters pertained to one separate, specific act that had considerable impact on the play. In conclusion, I would like to add one thing that I have said before and will surely say again; Shakespeare was a genius.